This commentator upon a number of occasions has discussed various ramifications of the effort to limit the flow of unlawful immigration and of the irresponsible counter-effort to protect or even expand the flow. We are fortunate in that, however belatedly, we now have an Attorney General of the United States who is sage and relevantly experienced. Among his other achievements, he was the roundly admired Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (which generally is evaluated as the most important, or with its District of Columbia counterpart one of the two most important, of federal trial courts in the nation).

The gap in procedures to limit unlawful immigration aggravated by the Supreme Court of the United States in its 5-4 Boumediene et al v Bush, President of the United States decision hardly could be wider or more obvious. Attorney General Michael R. Mukasey, in a learned and convincing address to the highly respected American Enterprise Institute, has asked Congress to commence consideration of legislation to fill in some of the wide gap. 

Not surprisingly, that recommendation immediately was endorsed by Chief Judge Royce C. Lamberth, United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Judge Lamberth is not only competent and pragmatic but also is willing to adjudicate decisively and to explain himself clearly.

Unfortunately and even more predictably, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid, D-NV, reacted in opposition. The Wall Street Journal quotes the senator as having said: “Taking up such a highly charged political issue in this election season is unlikely to lead to a good faith and deliberative result that will [sic.] stand up to court scrutiny . . . .”

How more obvious could it be that when the Senate Majority Leader so derogatorily labels an issue and negatively characterizes the result he would help create there would be no legislation nor even an attempt at legislation? Is it coincidence that some leftists do not want to curtail unlawful immigration? Is it coincidence that some unquantifiable number of unlawful immigrants already are voting as though they were citizens and more some day likely will become citizens? Is it coincidence that most of these folk would vote for those politicians who helped them?